What Causes Red Moles on Your Skin

Red moles are small bumps which can occur in almost any area of the body, but appear particularly on the neck, face, chest or back. Characterized as being very similar to small common moles, the main difference is that their color is bright red. Bright red in many cases of course signals alarm, so their sudden onset can be a cause for concern. However, if you do find a red mole, you may see that they disappear the same way they came. This does not mean that red moles appear for no reason, there are some serious conditions which can make red moles appear on the body. In this oneHOWTO article we detail what the causes of red moles are so you can best prevent them and we'll provide some more information so you can better understand them.

What are red moles?

We should always take notice of the appearance of spots or moles on our skin as it can be the cause of an underlying condition. However, with red moles, there is less chance of there being a serious concern. The main reason for red moles forming on your skin is as a sign that your body is out of balance. Red moles have various technical names, but the main ones are cherry angioma (or cherry hemangioma) or nevus cherry. They are red papules which form under the skin and are the result of an abnormal growth of small blood vessels, hence the red color.

A nevus and an angioma aren't necessarily the same thing as a nevus is a general term for what we often call moles, an aberrant or chronic lesion of the skin. These usually appear in the first two decades of a persons life and will usually be permanent. Beauty spots and moles are the most common forms. An angioma is a cluster of capillaries (small blood vessels) which grow abnormally and protrude from the skin. They are called red moles, but are not moles in the traditional sense and are not permanent unless they turn into something else.

People are more likely to get angioma skin markings approaching and after middle age as well as if they have fair skin. If you tick both these boxes you are even more likely to get them. They appear externally to be small moles between 1 to 4 mm in size which are reddish or purple. They may be raised into a dome shape and they can grow larger (up to a centimetre). They commonly appear in the neck, chest or back areas, although they have also appeared on the genitals, breast, legs, underarms, etc. As they are caused by capillaries, if they are knocked or damaged they have a tendency to bleed profusely.

These marks appearsuddenly and spontaneously on our bodies, but they are unlikely to hurt at all. Their main issue is usually their cause of an unpleasant aesthetic of the skin. They are not like regular moles, which can be serious and cause greater health problems, but you should pay attention to them if they evolve, i.e. swell or grow in size. If you discover some kind of abnormality, it is recommended that you go to a dermatologist.

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Causes of red moles

This type of mole on our skin usually appears suddenly due to some external cause which makes the blood vessels grow abnormally. This cause is usually due to factors of our daily lives which have promoted this imbalance in our body. Here we detail the causes of red moles specified by experts:

Liver problems: It is known that one of the main reasons for the onset of red moles on our skin is that our liver is not functioning properly. While the moles themselves may not be of concern, the underlying liver issue may be something more worrying like cirrhosis or hepatitis.

Poor diet : Unhealthy eating habits make a person's body accumulate excess toxins that are stored in organs such as the liver or intestine. These will promote other symptoms such as red moles on the skin, often caused by excess pressure in veins.

Sun exposure: Red moles may also appear because our skin has received too many UVA rays. We must be aware of this and learn to sunbathe safely, as we should do whether or not we have red moles.

Heredity: Skin moles can also appear for genetic causes which, if this is the case, there is no remedy to combat or prevent its occurrence.

Hormonal disorders: In the case of women, one of the causes of red moles or red spots in general is hormones. In periods of menstruation or pregnancy it's likely that these skin marks will go away the same way they appeared, so be considerate of your body's state if you see red moles appear.

Age: Although you can try to slow it down, ageing also causes red moles and it is not something you can stop.

Anxiety, stress or depression: Psychological or emotional factors may be one of the causes of red moles on the skin as they can appear psychosomatically.

How to prevent the causes of red moles on skin

Now that we know the causes, we can discuss the methods for preventing red moles. We have already mentioned that one of the most common factors for these marks appearing is the malfunctioning of the liver, so it will be imperative to start taking care of this organ if you want to enjoy a healthy life.

Besides the liver, this type of mole is also caused by eating disorders and unhealthy living, so if you want to prevent them, take note of these tips:

Drink plenty of water: at least 2 liters of water per day is recommended to help your body stay hydrated and flush out the toxins that it stores. Moisturize your body effectively if you don't want your moles to itch. If liver damage is the problem then it may be caused by too much of a different type of liquid, namely alcohol. Although there are many other causes, if you are producing many red moles, you may want to question your drinking habits.

Add fresh vegetables to your diet: the antioxidant and nourishing power of raw vegetables are perfect to help you have a healthy body and help prevent the causes of red moles. Carrot or celery are perfect for eating raw and are delicious.

Lemon juice on an empty stomach: there is a lot of talk about the benefits of lemon juice on an empty stomach and it is highly advisable to help cleanse the body and remove toxins.

Protect yourself from the sun: even if it is not summer or you don't plan on sunbathing, it is important that your daily moisturizer also doubles as sunscreen or before applying your makeup, put on sunscreen to avoid the sun's negative impact on your skin. Regardless of the causes of red moles, the sun may damage them like any other part of your skin.

When to go to the doctor for a red mole on skin

As we've already discussed, the causes ofred moles are usually harmless and are not a worrying sign of the health of your skin; they are indicators that maybe your diet is off or you are suffering the consequences of stress, hormonal changes or simple genetics. However, you must monitor this type of mole and seek medical advice in specific situations. These are:

They appear suddenly and in a large quantity: if more than two moles appear at once, it is advisable that you go to a dermatologist.

If the edges of the mole are irregular and its texture is rough you should also see a specialist. Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer and is indicated by a large area of the mole and it having a varied coloration as opposed to one color.

If you see that it measures more than 6 mm it is recommended to see a doctor, as red moles may be cancerous if they get to this size.

If the moles are asymmetric, it is also advised to visit the dermatologist.

If you see the color of the mole getting darker you should see a doctor.

However, if you don't have any of the previously mentioned, you can choose to remove your red moles for aesthetic reasons. This removal of red moles from the skin is becoming much more common in elective surgery, although costs vary according to medical insurance, doctor rates and the country to which the health service belongs. They might also offer cryosurgery (where the red moles are frozen off the skin) or laser surgery where they do the same thing with lasers.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What Causes Red Moles on Your Skin, we recommend you visit our Family health category.

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9 comments

Mike

04/06/2018

I am 70 years old should I be seeing my doctor

OneHowTo Editor

04/06/2018

Hi Mike,

If you have red moles on your skin and are unsure about their condition, then you should seek a doctor's advice. Age is a factor in developing cancer, even though it can be diagnosed at any age. If you need some help in detecting whether a red mole is cancerous, then you can take a look at this article for some more info:

As always, we cannot diagnose anything in these comments. However, if you are over 60 and haven't had a check up in a while, it is always a good idea to get screened.

DAVID PAGET

12/09/2017

FYI - Red Moles (cherry hemagiomas) are primarily caused by the body trying to excrete the toxic halogens - bromine, fluorine and chlorine from the body, through the capillaries. These toxic halogens bust up the capillaries and they begin to bleed out a bit forming a cherry hemangioma. The actual visible proof of this theory is that taking the proper dose of IODINE for the individual will drive the toxic halogens out of the body, and over 3-4 weeks the cherry hemangiomas completely disappear, although they can leave slightly raised bumps from the scarring of the damaged capillary.

It's better to be safe and have it looked at, especially if it grows or if it has appeared suddenly. However, red moles are not usually malign.

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Dipankar Chakraborty

25/08/2016

This is a very helpful information for patient.

sisir saikia

05/06/2016

I am 53 years of age , Male. 5 to 6 years back I had may be 6 to 7 red moles. To day I have over 30 to 40 of varying size ( 2 to 4 mm) , My father too had these . But what i am worried about is that it has grown in numbers in past 2 years. Also my exposure to sun has increased in past 2 to 3 years due to nature of job. Please advise.

OneHowTo Editor

07/06/2016

You should probably see a dermatologist, especially if the moles have grown into uneven shapes.

Samantha

04/03/2016

I have one on your forehead next to my temple on my right hand side it's got a little lump in it and it's getting bigger I've had it since I was little I'm now 22?

Any of the causes stated on the article could be the reason why your red mole appeared. If it's bleeding the best is to see a doctor and he/she will tell you what to do and how to remove it.

Jaqueline Belan

30/01/2016

My goodness ! Interesting read ! My chest, abdomen, upper legs, now arms are Peppered with these! Some are larger n raised , and are multiplying rapidly ! I'm becoming very concerned as a few I'm sure are normal , but I'm thinking as many as I have , as fast as they are mutiplyimg , NOW I'm concerned ! I am dealing with health issues however, I keep stressing n pointing out these are getting larger, darker n spreading way to quickly but my pcp just ignores them n me , I'd just like peace of mind as to what these are and why I'm Covered in them !! Any input would be appreciated !

Hi Jaqueline,
it seems like the best thing you could do is talk with your doctor. If he/she's ignoring you, try asking another one. He or she will give you the best diagnosis.

Regina Tittel

28/09/2016

Dandelion tea is a natural liver detoxer. Google how to prepare the roots of dandelions and make your own tea to drink. You'll notice a difference in how you feel very soon and maybe the red spots will even go away.